Doc Rivers Had a Warm and Fuzzy Return to Boston

The Celtics played a tribute video to the former coach for his return.

With the Celtics set to play the Clippers at home Wednesday, a poster on the Celtics Reddit site wondered, “Will the fans boo Doc Rivers?” Many felt spurned when the coach left for the L.A. Clippers. Still, the most upvoted reply on the forum read, “I personally would not boo him.”

Indeed, the question turns out to have been semi-ludicrous knowing now what actually transpired Wednesday night. It was teary love fest between Doc and the fans. After the first quarter, a tribute video for Doc aired, which you can see below, and afterward, he looked emotional as he greeted the crowd’s standing ovation.

After the Clippers won the game, Rivers gave candid insight into how he was feeling at a post-game conference that had him fighting back tears. “I’m still emotional. I thought the fans wereâ€”it was just, it was a nice day. This is such a classy place here.”

He also talked at length about the fans:

I tell people all the time, people don’t get Boston. They really don’t. They have to understand, and I think you have to be part of it to get it. You can’t get it from the outside. It’s a special, different place, and people were born here, raised here, they cheer for their team, they love their athletes. It’s just a great place to be. The best decision I ever made was 10 years ago when I decided to come.